A father’s connections to his children run deep, and often it takes perseverance to see the fruit of our efforts.
Emotional Awareness and Connection to Child – 8 Seconds
Your kids need to hear you say, “I love you.” Say it today. Too many dads have to live with the regret of not following through.
Emotional Awareness and Connection to Child – McDonald’s Commercial
If you’re a new dad, soak in all the great feelings that come with fatherhood. If you’ve been a dad for some time, try to recapture that feeling of commitment and awe in relating to your children.
3 Principles to Help You Handle Parenting Challenges
“What’s your position on allowing teens to go out on school nights?” That’s the question we received from a dad not long ago. All parents face similar challenges and decisions as part of everyday life. Some other examples might be: How much computer, TV or iPod time...
Dad, You Can Help Your Teen Make Wise Decisions About Sex
Just a few weeks ago, a new research review from the journal Pediatrics reaffirmed one area where father power shows up: their children’s decisions about sex. The study noted two factors in fathers that increase the chances that teens will put off sexual activity:...
Dating Dangers for Teens
A report by the US Department of Justice states that one in every three teen girls is a victim of physical, emotional or verbal abuse — not by a stranger but by a dating partner. That figure far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence.
Ways to Protect Your Child’s Innocence
Just last month, a statistic was released that should be a concern for fathers: For the first time since 1990, there was an increase in teen pregnancies in 2006 (by 3%).
Categories
Welcome to the fathers.com fathering library.
On the left you will see how our blogs and articles are categorized. Choose your stage in the fathering journey under Your Kids, click on a specific situation that applies to you, or browse through the items in our hot topics and fathering fundamentals. Also, check out Tools for the Journey – short downloadable pieces with tips for specific challenges.
Effective Fathering for a New Generation
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. Recently, someone reminded me that it’s been 30 years since the publication of my book, The 7 Secrets of Effective Fathers. 30 years! A lot has happened with that book since 1992, including dozens of weekend 7 Secrets events in cities all over...
Dads and Fast-Food Modeling
Are you a fast-food dad? A few years back, we ran across an unusual way of looking at a father’s influence and the importance of setting a positive example ... and it has to do with food! Here’s a statistic that probably won’t surprise you: In 1974, out of all the...
“Dad, I Wish We Could Talk About ________”
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. What topics do teenagers want to talk about with their dads? A few years back, we asked that question to a group of teenage daughters at one of our father-daughter events. (I try to never miss an opportunity to capture a few more insights and...
Involved Fathering … or Connected Fathering?
Here at NCF, we often talk about involved fathering. Dads need to be engaged in their kids’ lives. Involvement is the "I" in the I-CANs of Fathering, the four key fundamentals dads put into practice. And it’s no surprise that research shows a strong link between a...
Let the Selfies Begin: Creative Summer Fun for Dads & Kids
by Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield The past few years have been intense, as we all know. Not only have we been struck with a pandemic and political and social unrest, but it seems like shootings in schools and stores and other places are continually on the rise. If...
Divorced Dads: Two Thoughts to Keep in Mind
“When people ask me about my father, I tell them I don’t have one.” That’s what one boy said after his parents divorced. Mike is that dad, and he told us those words cut him to the heart. A few years back, he moved to another state to pursue better work opportunities,...
Fathering and Our Kids’ “Unalienable Rights”
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. As those of us in the U.S. celebrate another year in our...
4 Ways to Be a More Committed Dad
by Ken Canfield, Ph.D. We all celebrated fathers and fatherhood last week, and I hope you were able to enjoy some time with your family. I hope they honored you in a meaningful way. Did you spend any time reflecting on your fathering role? It seems like a natural...
Father’s Day: Redefining Your Role
Who defines your role as a father? Around Father’s Day, we see all kinds of stereotypes about dads. Maybe you’ll receive a card with a joke about neckties, grilling, tools or golf. Maybe one or more of those apply to you, and maybe the joke will even be clever. It’s...
Honor Your Dad Like a 5th Grader
For many years at NCF, spring gave us opportunities to recognize deserving kids and dads as part of our Father of the Year Essay Contests. We selected winning essays written by kids in markets around the country, and then chose dads to be honored as finalists and...
On Father’s Day: Promote Responsible Fatherhood
We’re right in the middle of what we call “Father’s Day Season,” which really kicks into high gear in early June. Maybe you barely even think about Father’s Day until that weekend, but this week the challenge is this: Start anticipating and planning for it now. And...
Teaching Your Kids to Drive – and Other Skills
Got a student driver in the house? Or one that’s a few years away? For kids, that first driving lesson with Dad is like a rite of passage. For dads, it’s like a trip to the dentist, only the dental chair is on a roller-coaster. Okay, it’s not that bad, but sometimes...